By Christina Caron, The New York Times, November 3, 2020
Families are under an extraordinary amount of pressure right now, and the next few months will provide little relief. The trials of 2020 include economic uncertainty, winter dread, an emotionally charged presidential election and a worrying rise in coronavirus cases. Then there’s the disrupted school year, remote learning and few (or no) options for child care. (That’s an abbreviated list.)
Experts are understandably concerned about how all of this might be affecting kids’ mental and behavioral health. In October, the American Academy of Pediatrics released new clinical interim guidance on how to support the emotional needs of children during the pandemic, emphasizing the vital role parents can play.
“Even in the midst of very trying times, there are ways to promote resilience, and families can do that,” said Dr. Carol Weitzman, a developmental-behavioral pediatrician and the co-director of the Autism Spectrum Center at Boston Children’s Hospital who co-authored the academy’s guidelines.
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